1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related in general to the field of equestrian saddles. In particular, the invention comprises a plate attached to a saddle fender that turns the stirrup away from the side of a horse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Equestrian saddles normally include a seat, two connecting stirrup straps, and two stirrups. A rider inserts his feet into the stirrups while mounting and riding a horse. While the rider has his feet in the stirrups, the stirrup straps usually rest on the outer portion of the rider""s leg. Fenders are sometimes attached to the stirrup straps to protect the legs of the rider from contact with brush, trees, or other obstacles. These fenders can also be decorated to enhance the attractiveness of the saddle.
Stirrups, while hanging from the saddle by their associated stirrup straps, usually hang so that the long axis of the stirrups is parallel to the body of the horse. In order for a rider to insert his foot, he must turn the stirrup strap or the attached stirrup away from the body of the horse and then insert his foot into the stirrup. This required turning of the stirrup is inconvenient for a mounting rider.
It is well known in the art that stirrup straps or their associated fenders can be constructed in a manner that places the stirrup at an angle to the body of the horse, making the insertion of a foot easier and more convenient. For example, fenders made from leather can be molded into a desired shape by wetting the leather, placing the leather over a mold, and then allowing the leather to dry or xe2x80x9ccure.xe2x80x9d The result is a fender with a non-planar surface that turns an attached stirrup strap and its connected stirrup away from the body of the horse. However, fenders made from synthetic leather or other man-made materials are not easily molded by this wetting and curing process.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a practical means for changing the shape of fenders that are made from synthetic materials. Additionally, it would be desirable to have a practical means for changing the shape of leather fenders without curing the leather. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have a means for allowing a rider to re-shape a fender to accommodate the preference of the rider.
One primary objective of this invention is a means for shaping fenders made from synthetic materials to form an angle of separation between the body of the horse and the stirrup.
Another objective of the invention is a means for shaping leather fenders without molding and curing the leather.
Yet another objective is a means for allowing a rider to re-shape a fender to adjust the angle of separation between the stirrup and the body of a horse to the rider""s preference.
Therefore, according to these and other objectives, the present invention consists of a molded plate that is attached to an equestrian saddle fender and which is shaped to turn an associated stirrup away from the body of a horse. The plate can be made from metal, plastic, or other moldable material. The plate can be re-shaped or re-molded to conform to the user""s preference but maintain its resulting shape under normal use conditions. Alternatively, the plate can be pre-molded into a desired shape that is not intended to be re-shaped by the user. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the plate can be molded by the user to a desired shape and then fixed into that shape.
Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows and from the novel features particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention comprises the features hereinafter illustrated in the drawings, fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such drawings and description disclose just a few of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.